Having flown our RV-10 and previous RV-4 through lots of IFR over the years I have the following personal experiences.

In the RV-4 once while navigating under cumulous clouds around heavy rain, I started feeling the hair on my neck stand up towards the canopy. When moving my arm around the cockpit I noticed the hair on my arm standing strait out toward the canopy. I really don't care to have my muscles artificially stimulated by static electricity so I did not experiment with touching things to find the voltage differential.

Several times again in the RV-4 when flying through snow for a while, had the same experience.

In the RV-10 the only time I thought maybe there was evidence of static electricity, Had been flying in light rain and clouds IFR for about 1.5-2 hrs solid, near the end of the flight I became aware of a noise that had been periodically happening I am guessing every 8-15 minuets. The sound was a snap like you hear when a plastic water bottle collapses when changing altitude. The part that caught my attention was the last time I heard it right near the end of that flight, at the same time of the "snap" from the corner of my peripheral vision I saw what appeared to be a spark jump from the steel bar that connects the dash to the fiberglass cabin top. The spark basically appeared to jump between the bar and the windscreen. I wanted to see it again for confirmation but was on the approach to landing and slowing down.

I did not observe any adverse effects on the navigation or communication radios.

Based on this, I don't think static wicks are necessary at normal RV- speeds.

Weasel,
Your last statement seems to be at odds with your description of what happen. Static wicks might have prevented it??

Weasel,
Your last statement seems to be at odds with your description of what happen. Static wicks might have prevented it??

I see no reason to add/carry around additional hardware and equipment to prevent something that has not been proven to be a flight safty issue. Especially given so many rvs flying around and hardly anyone reporting static discharge issues.

Weasel,
Your last statement seems to be at odds with your description of what happen. Static wicks might have prevented it??

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weasel

I see no reason to add/carry around additional hardware and equipment to prevent something that has not been proven to be a flight safty issue. Especially given so many rvs flying around and hardly anyone reporting static discharge issues.

My single experience with what I think was static caused me to lose a comm radio but I've come to the same somewhat contradictory conclusion (for my personal flying in my personal airplane).

With that said, I think I better understand why they are included on some/many certified aircraft.

I thought in another thread there was some discussion about P-static and how different paints or surface treatments may contribute or eliminate P-static and it's effects.

Talking to a few -10 pilots it sounds like there are some instances where they have had radio issues due to possible p-static, while others have never had any issues. Due to the experimental nature and numerous differences in how we assemble these aircraft, you won't know if you will be impacted until you do some testing.

Personally I was initially thinking of putting in wick mounts (following mouser) however I decided that while that I really wasn't sure they were needed (or if I really wanted to fly a lot of hard IFR). I figured that if needed I could always add those to my system down the road if I found the need.

As to why some certified planes need static wicks, I would guess it's because their testing and analysis showed that with their design, paint, and avionics that there was a need for additional p-static mitigation and the use of static wicks was the best (or quickest) solution.

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